Representing the most sweeping change in federal education legislation in decades, the No Child Left Behind Act aims to achieve a goal that no society has ever attempted: a quality education for 100% of our children by an absolute date. As the 2003-2004 school year begins, all 50 states are moving forward in implementing their plans to meet the requirements of the law-one that asks schools to describe their success in terms of what each student accomplishes.
Exclusively for PeachStar audiences, Congressman Johnny Isakson & State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox have conducted an extended discussion of the impact this broad, sweeping bill will ultimately have on every school and district in Georgia and in the nation. Addressing educational leaders, parents, and students from across the state, Isakson and Cox focus on the aspects of the law that will affect Georgia's schools most significantly:
* The Impact of No Child Left Behind on Georgia's Testing Program
* Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP): Assessments, Requirements, & Sanctions
* School Choice & Supplemental Services
* Unsafe School Choice Option (USCO): Moving Towards Safe & Drug-free Schools
Touching on many of the crucial and controversial aspects of the law, the program provides a timely and informative catalyst for class discussions on the role of the federal government in education, the use of test scores as measures of school and student performance, and the elimination of the achievement gap in our schools.
"No Child Left Behind operates on one basic assumption: that every child can learn, and every child deserves to learn. The law means what it says: no child should be left behind, and all of our efforts toward reforming our schools must therefore be focused on ensuring that student achievement and learning improve. For too long, we've had a system that educates some of our children well. We need a system that educates all of Georgia's children well. Under No Child Left Behind, we're on our way to achieving that goal."
-- State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox
